Irvine discusses Steven Purcell crisis PR plan
Jack Irvine, founder of Media House has defended his handling of Steven Purcell’s departure as leader of Glasgow City Council and revealed to The Drum that in the last week his company has picked up three pieces of business in the wake of the story.
He has also outlined that his company Media House International has picked up three new pieces of PR business as a result of the Purcell business, however, he would not reveal which companies the new accounts are with.
In commenting to The Drum, Irvine referenced his feud with The Sunday Herald, following another analysis piece of his handling of the story, and revealed that he has also made a complaint about the article to the Press Complaints Commission.
“What people don’t seem to understand is that we were actually acting for the lawyers of Steven Purcell. Steven and his personal advisers realised that there was a conflict and that the council press team and the council lawyers represent the council and this had become a personal matter. He felt he had to take personal advice,” began Irvine.
“There are many elements of this story which have not come out and it was my job to make sure that they didn’t come out,” he continued before revealing that an official complaint from Purcell’s lawyers about ‘the leaking’ of information from the Council has been placed, citing data protection.
“The councillors have grossly overstepped the mark, but I had been given a remit by the lawyers and I have stuck to that remit, and they have all expressed themselves as being delighted with the outcome.
“The Sunday Herald is entitled to criticise as are some of the other PR guys, but the problem is that none of them know the facts and The Sunday Herald has an obligation, under the Code of Conduct, to approach me on that, which they didn’t. What they all want was the full, unedited story on a plate, but it’s not my job to give them that,” continued Irvine.
He added that he believed most of the newspaper editors understood his actions and the way in which he operated to handle the issue.
Irvine also admitted that the rehabilitation centre that Purcell had stayed at following his resignation has been a client he had worked with ‘pro bono’ also.